Category - Bourbon
Elijah Craig Has Released Its First Barrel-Proof Bourbon of 2025. Here's My Honest Review
I write about whiskey for a living, so that means that I have to taste a lot of it—in moderation, of course. Generally speaking, I don’t really gravitate towards bourbon. rye, or any other type of whiskey that's bottled at the minimum required 80 proof, 40 percent ABV. It’s just a bit too thin, watered down, and lacking in flavor for my palate.
On the other end of the spectrum, you have barrel-proof or cask-strength whiskey. Those terms mean that the whiskey hasn't been diluted with water before bottling to cut it down to proof. Legally, however, it can fall within two degrees of the strength it came out of the barrel.
I don’t always want to drink this style of whiskey either, however, because ABVs have skyrocketed as brands lean into releasing extremely high-proof whiskeys. Sometimes, distilleries even enter hazmat territory—above 140 proof—that's banned from being brought onboard airplanes by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Of course, there are some excellent barrel-proof bourbons out there that fall into the sweet spot in terms of strength–high proof, bold, and assertive, but nothing that will set your tongue on fire or melt your soft palate. Elijah Craig is one of those, a bourbon produced at Kentucky’s Heaven Hill Distillery.
Want the latest whiskey news, deals, and reviews? Sign up for the Whiskey Wednesday newsletter.
Regular Elijah Craig is known as a dependable and relatively affordable bourbon, aged between eight and 12 years and bottled at 94 proof. The barrel-proof version, however, comes out in batches three times per year with different proofs and ages. It used to have a 12-year age statement but switched to varying ages in 2023.
The latest batch is A125, a code that refers to it being batch A released in January of 2025. This bourbon clocks in at 118.2 proof, which is relatively low as far as this particular brand is concerned.
A quick look at the Heaven Hill website shows that the proof over the past few years generally sits in the mid-120s with a few outliers soaring above 130. The last time the proof was this low was back in May 2021.
A125 is ten years and seven months old, which might be younger than the age statement that this whiskey used to carry, but is still an impressive amount of time for Kentucky bourbon to spend in barrels.
A125 is an excellent batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. There are notes of toasted nuts and dark chocolate on the nose, followed by flavors of oak, leather, tobacco, vanilla, caramel, honey, and a surprising but welcome burst of dark berries and stone fruit on the palate.

Courtesy Image
At 118.2 proof, you should expect some heat as you sip, but it’s not at all overpowering and fades into a warming finish. Add some water if you like, or try drinking this bourbon over a large ice cube to slowly dilute it as you sip. Go ahead and try it in an old fashioned as well. I did, and it worked very well.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A125 would be a great introduction to the world of barrel-proof bourbon for the unfamiliar. But it’s also a classic example of how good this category can be that seasoned whiskey fans will enjoy. You can find the new Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon, MSRP $70, at specialty retailers and websites now.
Related: I've Tried Hundreds of Whiskeys. This Limited-Run Bourbon Is a Great Value and a Must-Buy